Journal of Science Technology and Food 20 (4) (2020) 13-22 
13 
CONTROL THE OVERHEAD TEMPERATURE OF CRUDE OIL 
DISTILLATION COLUMN BY PID AND FUZZY PID 
CONTROLLERS 
Huynh Van Tien*, Ha Kim Thanh Vy, 
Van Tan Luong, Giang Ngoc Ha 
Ho Chi Minh University of Food Industry 
*Email: 
[email protected] 
Received: 9 July 2020; Accepted: 25 September 2020 
ABSTRACT 
Gasoline is mainly created by converting light and heavy naphtha from crude oil 
distillation column. Overhead temperature of main column is the most important parameter in 
quality control of gasoline. This protocol would offer two pathways to control the overhead 
temperature of crude oil distillation column in refinery. In this offer, temperature, flow 
parameters are cotrolled by proportional integral and derivative (PID) and fuzzy PID 
controllers. The feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed method are verified by the 
simulation results using Matlab/Simulink. 
Keywords: PID, fuzzy PID, controller parameter, overhead temperature, crude oil, distillation. 
1. INTRODUCTION 
Temperature, pressure, flow and level are four main parametters in process control. In 
order to antomatic maintain the quality of product, the process must be in automatic. In 
refinery, Crude Oil Distillation Unit (CDU) is as the heart of plant. CDU provides primary 
separation of crude oil feedstocks: Crude oil is preheated against product and pumparound 
streams before being routed to a fire heater. The primary fractionation is carried out in the 
main crude column fractionator and associated side stream strippers. Overhead naphtha is 
further processed in the naphtha stabilizer column. Products are cooled and rundown to 
intermediate storage or further processing as appropriate. Light gas oil and heavy gas oil 
streams are vacuum dried prior to rundown. 
In order to rearch the desire specification, a very complex and precise control process is 
required. In particular, the improvement of control methods brings very high efficiency in 
quickly achieving the specification, maintain the stability and rapid response to emergencies 
case to ensure the plant to be stable and safety. 
Figure 1 describes that the top pumparound (P-01) circuit of the main fractionator 
provides reflux to the top section of column and maintains the temperature of column overhead 
vapour by controlling the amount of heat removed from the (P-01) circuit. Under normal 
operation, for a given unit throughput, the flow around the P-01 circuit remains constant and 
the heat duty is controlled by passing more or less flow around exchanger (E-01). The top 
temperature, TIC-01 resets the set point of duty controller UIC-01. Depending on the crude oil 
and product requirements, the setpoint for TIC-01 is from 120 °C to 150 °C [1]. 
Any increase in duty above the setpoint at UIC-01 will produce a decrease in the duty 
Huynh Van Tien, Ha Kim Thanh Vy, Van Tan Luong, Giang Ngoc Ha 
14 
controller output B which will close valve UV-02 via calculation block FY-03 and hand 
controller HIC-02 and open valve UV-01 via calculation block FY-01 and controller HIC-01. 
The result will be to pass less liquid through the exchanger E-01 and more through bypass 
valve UV-01, i.e. duty is reduced. 
Figure 1. Functional description of overhead temperature control 
Any increase in flow above the setpoint at controller FIC-01 will produce a decrease in 
flow controller output A, which will close both valve UV-01 and UV-02 by the same amount 
via their calculation blocks FY-01/FY-03 and hand controllers HIC-01/HIC-02, i.e. total flow 
is reduced. The flow controller FIC-01 must have priority above duty controller UIC-01 to 
prevent both valve close in temperature or duty failure case. In other hand, the flow controller 
has to be able to keep the flow in control otherwise duty controller failure for itself or for 
temperature indicator failure. UIC-01 output shall be limited to be from 10% to 90%. 
Recently, many researches have fucused on automation control the crude oil distillation 
column [2-5]. Accordingly, proportional (P), proportional intergral (PI), proportional 
derivative (PD) and proportional intergral derivative (PID) methods were applied. Among 
them, PID method shows more superiority than other ones. However, compared to the fuzzy 
PID, the PID controller presents its limitations, which is that the original designed controller 
parameter is only suitable at a given operating time. At other operating times, the parameter 
is long convergence and fluctuating [6]. 
In this paper, we typically introduce the PID and fuzzy PID controllers to control the 
overhead temperature of crude oil distillation column (Main fractionator) and compare the 
Control the overhead temperature of crude oil distillation column by PID and fuzzy PID 
15 
effectiveness of these two control methods. The simulation results demonstrate that the fuzzy 
PID controller is better than the conventional PID controller. 
2. EXPERIMENTAL 
2.1. Rule adjustment of PID controller 
The function of PID controller is 
( ) ( )
0
(
)
( )
t
Ip D
de t
K e t dt K
dt
u t K e t= + + 
(1) 
As shown in (1), the control parameters (KP, KI, KD) are adjusted according to each 
controller separately based on the error e(t) and its derivative error. Many different methods 
have been applied to adjust the parameters of the PID such as: direct calibration method, 
method based on the minimum target function, calibration method according to Zhao, 
Tomizuka and Isaka ... [7-12]. The general principle of these methods is to start with KP, KI 
and KD values according to Zeigler-Nichols. Then, based on the changing response of the 
output signal and the gradual change of KP, KI, KD, their appropriate alignment direction is 
found. 
Time a1
b1
c1
d1
a2
b2
set point
Ouput
Figure 2. Rule adjustment of PID controller 
The rule adjustment as shown in Figure 2 is done as follows: 
- For the adjacent point a1 we need strong control to shorten the time so we choose KP 
and KI large, KD small 
- For the adjacent point b1 we avoid large overshoot, so choose KP and KI small, KD 
large 
- For the adjacent point c1 and d1 we perform the same as a1 and b1 
2.2. PID controller simulation for crude oil distillation overhead temperature control system 
The temperature of the top of the distillation tower is controlled via reflux. Depending on 
the quality of crude oil and product requirements, the temperature of the top of the column is 
set at a value from 120 °C to 160 °C. Both the reflux flow and the ovehead temperature 
normally are controlled by adjust the opening of reflux valve, the block diagram of the column 
overhead temperature control system is shown in the Figure 3. 
Huynh Van Tien, Ha Kim Thanh Vy, Van Tan Luong, Giang Ngoc Ha 
16 
Figure 3. Block diagram of the column overhead temperature control system 
using the conventional PID controller 
In Figure 2, the tranfer functions: 
2
11
0.9
70 1
se
W
s
−
=
+
, 
2
12
0.2
60 1
se
W
s
−
=
+
, 
1
21
1.2
30 1
se
W
s
−
=
+
, 
22
1.0
20 1
W
s
=
+
are created by Ziegler-Nichols method [6]. 
By enter expressions for proportional, intergral and dervivative terms in the functional 
block parameters on Matlab/Simulink simulation software, the result indicates that the 
overhead temperature of the column responds well, the settling time is about 400 seconds, the 
error is 0 and the overshoot is 13%. The convergence time to the setting value of the reflux 
flow controller is 500 seconds, the error is 0 and the overshoot is high. 
Figure 4. Responding of overhead temperature by PID controller 
Control the overhead temperature of crude oil distillation column by PID and fuzzy PID 
17 
Figure 5. Responding of refux flow by PID controller 
The PID controller responds well for this system but it has a relatively long setting time, 
high control overshoot so other control methods are needed to reduce these problems. 
2.3. Simulate fuzzy PID controller for crude oil distillation overhead temperature control 
system 
The parameters KP, KI, KD or KP, TI, TD of PID controller are adjusted base on the analysis 
of error e(t) and de(t)/dt derivative of the error. Many methods of adjusting parameters for PID 
controller have been implemented. However, in this paper, the fuzzy calibration methods of 
Zhao, Tomizuka and Isaka are studied with the following assumption: 
min max
P P PK K ,K   and 
min max
D D DK K ,K   . In particular, KP and KD parameters have been standardized as follows: 
min
P P
P max min
P P
K K
K
K K
−
=
−
min
D D
D max min
D D
K K
K
K K
−
=
−
. The fuzzy equalizer will have two inputs e(t), de(t)/dt and 
three outputs are 𝐾𝑃 , 𝐾𝐷 , 𝛼, in particular, 𝛼 = 𝑇𝐼/𝑇𝐷 𝑜𝑟 𝐾𝐼 = 𝐾𝐷
2/𝛼𝐾𝐷. Therefore, KP, KI, KD 
can be considered as three fuzzy equalizers with two inputs ET, DET and three outputs KP, KD 
and KI (see in Figure 6). 
Figure 6. Structure of the fuzzy PID controller 
Huynh Van Tien, Ha Kim Thanh Vy, Van Tan Luong, Giang Ngoc Ha 
18 
In Figure 6, ET is the deviation between the set signal and the feedback signal, DET = 
(ETi+1-ETi)/T, where T is the signal receiving period. The output consists of three variables 
KP, KI, KD which are factors of proportion, integral and derivative. Base on the structure of 
fuzzy PID controller the block diagram of the column overhead temperature control system 
use fuzzy PID controller were created. 
Figure 7. Block diagram of the column overhead temperature control system 
using the fuzzy PID controller 
2.4. Control algorithms 
For temperature controller, two input variables are ET (Error temperature) and DET 
(Derivative of the error temperature). ET = Setpoint – Feedback value; Derivative of the error 
temperature: DET = 
ET(i+1)−E(i)
T
, T is the signal receiving period. The three output variables are 
KP, KI and KD. 
Variable definitions: ET = {large minus_AN, medium minus_AV, alittle minus_AI, 
zero_ZE, alittle positive _DI, medium positive_DV, large positive_DN; DET = {large 
minus_AN, medium minus_AV, alittle minus_AI, zero_ZE, alittle positive _DI, medium 
positive_DV, large positive_DN; KP = { zero, small, medium, large, ultimate} (Z, S, M, L, U); 
KI = {level 1, level 2, level 3, level 4, level 5} (L1, L2, L3, L4, L5); KD = {zero, small, medium, 
large, ultimate} (Z, S, M, L, U). 
For flowrate controller, two input variables are ET (Error flowrate) and DET (Derivative 
of the error flowrate). ET = Setpoint – Feedback value; Derivative of the error flowrate: 
DET = 
ET(i+1)−E(i)
T
, T is the signal receiving period. The three output variables are KP, KI and 
KD, any variable definitions are similar to temperature controller. 
Control the overhead temperature of crude oil distillation column by PID and fuzzy PID 
19 
2.5. Rule adjustment of fuzzy PID controller 
By performing the rule adjusments in the fuzzy functional block parameters on 
Matlab/Simulink simulation software, the result indicates that the overhead temperature of the 
column responds well, the settling time is about 400 seconds, the error is 0 and the overshoot 
is 1.49%. The convergence time to the setting value of the reflux flow controller is 250 
seconds, the error is 0 and the overshoot is 6.7%. 
Figure 8. Responding of overhead temperature by fuzzy PID controller 
Huynh Van Tien, Ha Kim Thanh Vy, Van Tan Luong, Giang Ngoc Ha 
20 
Figure 9. Responding of reflux flowrate by PID controller 
By fuzzy PID controller, the overhead temperature and reflux flow are stabilized, quickly 
settling and negligible overshoot. 
3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS 
3.1. Simulation results of overhead temperature and reflux flow 
Figure 10. Simulation results of overhead temperature by PID and fuzzy PID controllers 
Figure 10 shows that the results of simulating of overhead temperature using the fuzzy 
PID and PID controllers. As shown in Figure 10 and in Table 7, the overhead temperature was 
reached to the set value after 400 seconds for both controllers. However, the overshoot was 
only 1.94% in case of a fuzzy PID controller (compared to 13% of the conventional PID 
controller). Therefore, the use of fuzzy PID controller results in better operation, compared to 
the use of conventional PID controller. 
Table 7. Overhead temperature responding comparing 
between conventional PID and fuzzy PID controller 
 Conventional PID controller Fuzzy PID controller 
Settling time (s) 400 400 
Overshoot (%) 13 1.94 
Control the overhead temperature of crude oil distillation column by PID and fuzzy PID 
21 
Figure 11. Simulation results of reflux flowrate by using conventional PID and fuzzy PID controllers 
Figure 11 shows that the results of simulating of reflux flowrate using the fuzzy PID and 
PID controllers. As shown in Figure 10 and in Table 7, the reflux flowrate was reached to the 
setpoint after 250 seconds and the overshoot was only 0.63% in case of the fuzzy PID 
controller. Meanwhile, with the conventional PID controller, the set-up time needs to 500 
seconds and overshoot is 1.2%. Therefore, the use of fuzzy PID controller results in better 
operation, compared to the use of conventional PID controller. 
As mentioned before, the PID controllers only works properly at one specific operating 
point since the controller gains are seleted to be fixed. For this, to operate in a wide range, they 
should be changed. Thus, the combination of fuzzy controller to generate a signal to 
compensate for the PID controller. 
Table 8. Reflux flowrate responding comparing between conventional PID and fuzzy PID controller 
 Conventional PID controller Fuzzy PID controller 
Settling time (s) 500 250 
Overshoot (%) 100 6.7 
4. CONCLUSIONS 
In summary, a strategy to control the crude oil distillation column using the fuzzy PID 
controller is proposed. The important control parametters such as overhead temperature and 
reflux flowrate were simulated by PID and fuzzy PID controllers. The simulation results on 
Matlab/Simulink have shown that the use of fuzzy PID controller is better than conventional PID. 
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Huynh Van Tien, Ha Kim Thanh Vy, Van Tan Luong, Giang Ngoc Ha 
22 
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University Publishing House (2007). 
10. Bui Quoc Khanh, Nguyen Van Lien, Pham Quoc Hai, Duong Van Nghi - Electric 
drive automatic control, Science and Technics Publishing House (2008). 
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University Publishing House (2007). 
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control, Science and Technics Publishing House (2006). 
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and control, International Society of Automation (2012). 
TÓM TẮT 
ĐIỀU KHIỂN HỆ THỐNG CHƯNG CẤT DẦU THÔ DÙNG BỘ ĐIỀU KHIỂN PID MỜ 
Huỳnh Văn Tiến*, Hà Kim Thanh Vy, 
Văn Tấn Lượng, Giang Ngọc Hà 
*Email: 
[email protected] 
Xăng chủ yếu được tạo ra bằng cách chuyển hóa naphtha nhẹ và naphtha nặng từ tháp 
chưng cất dầu thô. Nhiệt độ đỉnh tháp của cột chưng cất chính là thông số quan trọng nhất 
trong kiểm soát chất lượng xăng. Bài báo đề xuất 2 phương pháp để kiểm soát nhiệt độ đỉnh 
tháp chưng cất dầu thô trong nhà máy lọc dầu, trong đó các tham số nhiệt độ, lưu lượng được 
điều khiển bằng bộ điều khiển tỷ lệ tích phân và đạo hàm (PID) và bộ điều khiển mờ. Tính khả 
thi và hiệu quả của phương pháp đề xuất được xác minh bằng các kết quả mô phỏng sử dụng 
Matlab/Simulink. 
Từ khóa: PID, PID mờ, thông số bộ điều khiển, nhiệt độ đỉnh tháp, dầu thô, chưng cất.